Talk:Ichijou Masaki/@comment-203.219.88.210-20150127081954/@comment-174.59.217.195-20150128050201
He gets flustered but really doesn't deny that he really really likes her. Even Tatsuya who can't feel love himself can tell he's pretty smitten with her and it's not just some whim (Masaki does not act like that around other girls mainly Mayumi and Erika who talk to him also in this volume, Erika is even a bit flirty because she has a thing for motorcycles). He also teases that the reason he's helping out with Zhou (aside from his own sense of justice and anger at Zhou for Yokohama) is because Miyuki asked even though Masaki says it's for his 10 MC duty/revenge. Tatsuya comments that he is a prideful person but respects that aspect of him because he's not easily influenced. He also says that although he's prideful, he's a rather honest person and he can't hide his true emotions very well (everyone can tell he's beyond angry at Zhou and is rather hot-blooded). Masaki is pretty friendly to everyone (like he gets along with Miki and they chat for a while after he saves him and Leo plus Erika from a golem) except he's more cold and reserved with Tatsuya. I think Masaki still mistruts Tatsuya, probably because Tatsuya also says some things that come off a little bit weird. Maybe it's that he feels a little competition from Tatsuya too, Tatsuya teases him not to fall behind on their mission but he meant it as a joke (that Masaki later understands as a joke and he jokes back). There's a part where Tatsuya, Miyuki and Masaki as a group walk around town and look for clues on Zhou, specifically at a spot where Tatsuya had been ambushed before. Miyuki has a lot of trust in Masaki's abilities and I think she's sincere about it, she does feel better that he's there, they all talk and get along. Initially when Tatsuya tells Masaki Zhou is also likely responsible for the ancient magician rebellion on top of Yokohama, Masaki gets really angry and tells them how he met him last year on China Street and although he thought he was an odd person he could not randomly investigate him without proof. So Masaki starts blaming himself like I should have just killed him anyway and everything is my fault and I have to go find and kill him now before he hurts more people. Tatsuya tells him to calm down but it has no effect. Miyuki then tells Masaki to wait, that it's dangerous to just rush off like that and nobody knows much about Zhou even the military can't find him it's dangerous and stuff (Miyuki knows even the Yotsuba have had a lot of issues with him). Miyuki says she wants to talk and then she tells him about how she fought Chen and his magic and then she talks about her own magic that she used against him. Masaki listens to her and understands her magic, he calms down after she talks. Both her and Tatsuya tell him it's not his fault and that he acted reasonably (Masaki is rather someone that does not like to break the laws and doesn't like to push the limits of the 10 MC authority because it leads to friction against the 10 MC and magicians). I would say based on this chapter the Shibas do like him and feel like he's a dependable person. Tatsuya really wanted Ichijou to help him (he even reveals his 101st status in hopes that would make Masaki work with him) and pretty much turned everyone else down, with Minoru and Fumiya having another specific task from him too. Miyuki seems to like that Masaki understood her magic and that she felt helpful in some way. They fought well as a team too. I think (and this part is my opinion based on the volume) that Miyuki by nature doesn't like people to carry burdens on their own. For example, on Volume 13 when Tatsuya goes to fight the parasites alone she tries to stop him and tells him he doesn't have to protect the entire world. I think the same thing happens this volume with Masaki, he really doesn't have to risk himself for other people and neither does Tatsuya. She understands that he feels responsible and seems to sympathize with that to an extent but she tries to be the reasonable one here. I think both Tatsuya and Masaki end up being the ones always doing everything (Okinawa, Sado, last year's thesis comp) and Miyuki finds that unfair perhaps. So by having Tatsuya and Masaki work together she feels better that less bad things will happen. Also, Miyuki likes people who can admit they have been wrong or who can act a little bit responsible (happens with Hattori too). Tatsuya has Masaki's contact information and calls him up when Fujibayashi finds Zhou's hideout inside a military base. I think the volume is a foreshadowing that it won't be the last time the two work together and Miyuki seems to approve of them working as a team. I think Miyuki recognizes Masaki as a good person and he's certainly more on her radar than say Leo or Miki who she still doesn't see as close friends. She has no issues talking to Masaki and does seem to care enough about him to stop him from rushing off (she had no reason to give a shit really about him but she does and you can argue it's because he is useful or she just generally doesn't hate him). She does smile around him and laugh, again maybe she's a great actress and being manipulative or maybe she thinks Masaki is okay or not bad to be around. She's not like this around others like Leo or Erika and she flat out dislikes Mayumi and her presence. She makes that rather apparent this volume. Tatsuya thinks Masaki is more competent than his 101st buddies and Masaki even shields him and Tatsuya doesn't ever use Regrowth in the fight. Tatsuya tells Masaki to watch out when Zhou kills himself with his blood fuming out (his ES detected what Zhou was doing, sort of like making himself an explosive).